Argentina national rugby union team explained

Argentina
Nickname:Los Pumas (The Pumas)
Badge:Los pumas argentina logo23.png
Badge Size:200
Emblem:Puma
Union:Argentine Rugby Union
Coach:Felipe Contepomi
Captain:Julián Montoya
Most Caps:Agustín Creevy (108)
Top Scorer:Nicolás Sánchez (899)
Home Stadium:Various, see list
Pattern La1:_Pumasleft19
Pattern B1:_Pumaskit19
Pattern Ra1:_Pumasright19
Pattern So1:_ArgentinasocksRWC
Leftarm1:4AB1EC
Body1:4AB1EC
Rightarm1:4AB1EC
Shorts1:FFFFFF
Leftarm2:262F51
Body2:262F51
Rightarm2:262F51
Shorts2:262F51
Socks2:262F51
World Rugby Rank:6
World Rugby Rank Date:12 August 2024
World Rugby Max:3
World Rugby Max Year:2008
World Rugby Min:12
World Rugby Min Year:2014
First Game: Argentina 3–28 British Isles
(Buenos Aires, Argentina; 12 June 1910)
Largest Win: Argentina 152–0 Paraguay
(Mendoza, Argentina; 1 May 2002)
Largest Loss: New Zealand 93–8 Argentina
(Wellington, New Zealand; 21 June 1997)
World Cup Apps:10
World Cup First:1987
World Cup Best:Third place (2007)
Rugby Championship Apps:12
Rugby Championship Best:Runners-up (2020)

The Argentina national rugby union team (Spanish: Selección de rugby de Argentina) represents Argentina in men's international competitions, The Argentine Rugby Union (Spanish; Castilian: Unión Argentina de Rugby). Officially nicknamed Los Pumas, they play in sky blue and white jerseys. They are ranked 7th in the world by World Rugby, making them by some distance the highest-ranked nation in the Americas.

Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British Isles team. Argentina has competed at every Rugby World Cup since the first tournament of 1987 and are considered by far the strongest team within the Americas, being undefeated against all but Canada, against whom they have suffered two losses.

The Pumas' impressive results since the 1999 World Cup have seen rugby's popularity in Argentina grow significantly. They have achieved several upset victories and are capable of regularly defeating Six Nations sides. In the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Argentina were undefeated in their pool and reached the semi-finals for the first time; they were defeated by South Africa in the semi-finals, but followed up with a win over France to claim third place overall. By the end of the competition, the team had reached an all-time high of third in the World Rankings.

After their advances in competitiveness and performance during the 2000s, coupled with their location in the Southern Hemisphere, Argentina was the only tier 1 nation that had no regular competition.[1] Argentina officially joined The Rugby Championship on 23 November 2011.[2] In their first tournament in 2012, Argentina secured a 16–16 draw with The Springboks in only their second game.

The 2014 Rugby Championship saw the first Championship-match win for Argentina who defeated Australia 21–17.[3] 2015 proved to be a successful year for Argentine rugby, including their first ever win over South Africa in the Rugby Championship, and they reached another semi-final at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In the 2016 Rugby Championship, the Pumas again defeated the Springboks. Although winless during the 2017 Rugby Championship, the Pumas achieved two wins in their 2018 campaign, defeating both South Africa and Australia. On 14 November 2020, the Pumas beat New Zealand 25–15 to record their first win over the All Blacks, and on August 27, 2022, they defeated the All Blacks for the first time in New Zealand. The wins against New Zealand meant that Los Pumas had finally won a match against every major Rugby union team.

History

See main article: History of the Argentina national rugby union team. The History of the Argentina national team starts with the first international played by an Argentine side against the British Isles in 1910 when they toured on South America. Argentina gained recognition in 1965, when the team toured South Africa playing a series of friendly matches there. In that tour the national team was nicknamed Los Pumas, a name that became an identity mark for Argentina, remaining to present days.

Argentina has taken part in all the Rugby World Cups since the first edition in 1987, their best performance being the third place achieved in 2007. Argentina followed their growing competitiveness in the Rugby Championship with a strong showing in the 2015 World Cup, reaching the semi-finals for the second time. The national side has also played in the Rugby Championship since the 2012 edition, after joining the competition one year before.[4]

Colours, symbol and name

Argentina alternated blue and white jerseys during its first international matches in 1910. In 1927 Mr. Abelardo Gutiérrez of Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires proposed that Argentina should play against the British Lions wearing a striped light blue and white jersey. That request was accepted and Argentina wore the striped uniform for the first time in its history.[5] [6]

Los Pumas play in a shirt in the country's flag (and sporting) colours of light blue and white, white shorts, and socks in light blue and white. In 2011, the UAR signed a deal with Nike which became the exclusive kit provider for all its national senior and youth teams, including Pampas XV.[7] The first uniform designed by the American company left the traditional horizontal-striped jersey behind, featuring a single light blue with white shoulders jersey, although it was announced that Los Pumas would wear its traditional uniform again when they play the 2012 Rugby Championship.[8]

In September 1941, Abelardo Gutiérrez (who had proposed the use of a white and blue jersey for the team 14 years prior) suggested a badge with the figure of a lion. The color of the crest was blue (due to Buenos Aires Cricket Club, where the first rugby match in Argentina had been played). The animal was later replaced by a native to Argentine species, so the jaguar was chosen due to his "agility and courage", according to their words.[5]

The Pumas nickname is the result of an error made by Carl Kohler, a journalist for the then Die Transvaler newspaper in South Africa, while following the team during their first overseas tour ever – to Southern Africa (to Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and South Africa) in 1965. He tried to devise a catchy nickname for the team similar to existing international team nicknames such as All Blacks, Springboks, and Wallabies. He asked Isak van Heerden, the then coach of the Natal Rugby team who was asked by the SARB to assist with the tour, for ideas. They saw a picture of a type of lion with spots on the UAR crest. Kohler was aware that the Americas had jaguars and pumas, and as he was under pressure to submit his article, made a guess and called them the Pumas, instead of the actual jaguar. The mistake stuck, and was eventually adopted by the Argentines themselves (although the UAR crest continued to depict a jaguar[9] until 2023).

In April 2023, the UAR launched its new visual identity that included a change of emblems not only of the body but of the national teams, from senior to 7s and youth representatives. The process included the substitution of the characteristic jaguar figure with the puma, used as a namesake for the team since the 1965 tour in Rhodesia and South Africa.[10] That same year the UAR released the Pumas' away kit inspired by the uniform of the Mounted Grenadiers Regiment, the Argentine military unit and presidential honor guard established in 1812.[11] The away kit will be worn at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[12] [13]

Kit suppliers

PeriodKit manufacturerShirt sponsorRef.
1963-1968 Noceto Sports (no shirt sponsor) [14] [15]
1968-1977 Uribarri [16]
1978–1998[17]
1999–2000
2000–2003 [18]
2004–2011 Adidas [19]
2012–2023 [20]
2024– [21] [22]

Home grounds

The Pumas use a variety of stadiums when playing at home. One of the most frequently used for tests is José Amalfitani Stadium, home of Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield and sited in Buenos Aires. When Great Britain made their first tour to Argentina in 1910, the national team played them at Sociedad Sportiva Argentina of Palermo. That test was also notable for being the first Argentina match ever.[23] [24]

When the British combined returned to Argentina in 1927, the national side started to use GEBA and Buenos Aires Cricket Club as their home venues. GEBA was a frequent venue during the next decades, but hosted only three matches after the 1960s, as the Pumas started using larger stadiums; the Pumas last match at GEBA was in 1993.[25] On the other side, the Buenos Aires Cricket was also used for a large number of matches until 1948 when it was destroyed by fire.[26] [27]

In 1997 BACRC inaugurated the first purpose-built rugby union stadium in Argentina, erected in Los Polvorines, Greater Buenos Aires. A total of nine international games were played there by the national team until 2005 when it was sold.[28]

Los Pumas played in Ferro Carril Oeste stadium between 1970 and 1986, when Argentina moved to Vélez Sarsfield Stadium.[29] Some of the teams that visited those venues were Ireland, New Zealand, France, and Australia among others.[30] [31]

During the mid year tests in 2007, as well as Vélez Sársfield, Argentina played games at venues including Brigadier Estanislao López in Santa Fe, Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza, and Gigante de Arroyito, in Rosario. Argentina have also used the River Plate Stadium in the past, and in 2006 hosted Wales at Estadio Raúl Conti in Puerto Madryn.

Other venues that have hosted Argentina rugby team were José M. Minella in Mar del Plata (2008), Monumental José Fierro in Tucumán (2012, 2014), Mario Kempes in Córdoba (2012), Centenario in Resistencia (2014), Padre Martearena in Salta (venue for The Rugby Championship, 2016–2019 editions),[32] Estadio del Bicentenario in San Juan –where the team played tests v England and Wales (2017–18),[33] and Estanislao López in Santa Fe (2017).

Records

Overall

See also: List of Argentina national rugby union team test match results. Argentina have won 248 of their 495 Test matches. When the world rankings were introduced by the IRB in October 2003, Argentina were ranked seventh. They fell to eighth in the rankings in June 2004, before rising back to seventh by November that year. They fell back to eighth in February 2005, and stayed there until falling to their lowest ranking of ninth in February 2006. Since then, Argentina rose to eighth in July 2006, then sixth in November of that year. They had a one-week fall to seventh, then one week later rose to fifth to start the World Cup 2007.

Los Pumas twice surpassed their highest ranking at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.[34] Defeating number three France, the second opening game loss for a World Cup hosting nation, moved them into fourth place, their highest position since the IRB World Rankings were established. They lost to eventual champions South Africa in the semi-final but beat France yet again in the bronze medal round to set another highest ranking, third, behind South Africa and New Zealand.

Argentina has won every match against South American national teams, including 40 against Uruguay,[35] 40 against Chile, 17 against Paraguay and 13 against Brazil.

On 14 November 2020, they registered their first win against New Zealand, meaning that they have recorded a victory over every Tier 1 nation.

Rugby World Cup

See main article: Argentina at the Rugby World Cup.

The Rugby Championship

All-time Tri Nations and The Rugby Championship record (2012–present)
width=40Yearwidth=60Positionwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20
20124th 6 0 1 5 4 80 166-86
20134th 6 0 0 6 288 224-136
20144th 6 1 0 5 7105 157-52
20153rd 3 1 0 2 564 98-23
20164th 6 1 0 5 5129 216-87
20174th 6 0 0 6 0110 235-125
20184th 6 2 0 4 8151 198-47
20194th 3 0 0 3 239 82-43
20202nd 4 1 2 1 856 84-28
20214th 6 0 0 6 060 195-135
20224th 6 2 0 4 9143 203-60
20233rd 3 1 0 2 550 115 -65
Total6193495510751973-898
Updated: 17 September 2023

Players

Current squad

On 31 July 2024, Argentina named a 31-played squad for the opening two matches of the 2024 Rugby Championship.[36]

Head coach: Felipe Contepomi

Hall of fame

Four former Argentina international players have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.[37]

(Inducted in 2008)

(Inducted in 2011)

(Inducted in 2017)

(Inducted in 2023)

One player was also inducted into the previous incarnation, the International Rugby Hall of Fame.

(Inducted in 1997)

Award winners

The following Argentina players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2001:[38]

World Rugby Player of the Year
width=40Yearwidth=160Nomineeswidth=160Winners
align=center rowspan=22007Felipe Contepomialign=center rowspan=2
Juan Martín Hernández
World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year
width=40Yearwidth=160Nomineeswidth=160Winners
2017Emiliano Boffelli
World Rugby Dream Team of the Year
width=40Yearwidth=40width=160Players
20226.Pablo Matera
World Rugby Try of the Year
width=40Yearwidth=90Datewidth=200Scorerwidth=160Matchwidth=190Tournament
201710 JuneJoaquín Tuculetvs. EnglandEngland tour of Argentina

Coaches

The following people have served in the head coach role for Argentina:[39]

Player records (career)

Most matches

PlayerPosYearsMatStartSubWonLostDraw%
1 Agustín Creevy 2005- 109 65 44 37 72 0 30.85
2 2010-2023 104 85 19 34 67 3 32
3 Pablo Matera 2013- 103 97 6 34 67 2 33.34
4 Julián Montoya 2014- 98 48 50 32 63 3 30.82
5 Matias Alemanno 2014- 97 56 41 31 63 3 33.08
6 2010-2023 93 45 49 36 56 1 35.52
7 Tomas Lavanini 2013- 88 75 13 28 59 1 29.54
8 1998-2013 87 75 12 42 45 0 48.27
2005-2019 87 64 23 34 53 0 36
10 1990-2005 86 83 3 41 44 1 48.25
1994-2003 86 77 9 44 41 1 51.74

Last updated: New Zealand vs Argentina, 17 August 2024. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Most tries

PlayerPosSpanMatStartSubPtsTries
1 2001-2008 28 26 2 145 29
2 1983-1995 63 63 0 125 28
3 1989-1994 23 22 1 111 24
4 1994-2003 86 77 9 90 18
Facundo Soler1996-2002 25 23 2 90 18
2012-2019 56 51 5 90 18
7 2009-2023 43 32 11 85 17
2002-2007 33 22 11 128 17
9 1990-2005 86 83 3 183 16
1998-2013 87 75 12 651 16
2012-2017 27 22 5 80 16

Last updated: Uruguay vs Argentina, 20 July 2024. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Most points

PlayerPosSpanMatStartSubPtsTriesConvPensDrop
1 Nicolás Sánchez[40] 2010-2023 104 85 19 902 15 130 177 12
2 1998–2013 87 75 12 651 16 74 139 2
3 1971–1990 58 58 0 590 11 84 101 26
4 1996–2003 38 30 8 486 4 68 103 7
5 1987–1997 34 32 2 365 8 68 63 1
6 Emiliano Boffelli 2017– 59 57 2 340 15 51 62 0
7 1998–2008 21 16 5 256 4 37 54 0
8 1990–2005 86 83 3 183 16 14 14 11
9 2003–2017 74 66 8 176 8 20 23 9
10 1997–2007 29 17 12 158 5 41 12 5

Last updated: Uruguay vs Argentina, 20 July 2024. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Most matches as captain

PlayerPosSpanMatWonLostDraw%PtsTries
1 2014-2018 51 14 37 0 27.45 15 3
2 1992–2003 48 28 20 0 58.33 87 10
3 1977–1990 38 15 18 5 46.05 435 2
4 Julián Montoya 2021- 34 12 21 1 30.00 15 3
5 2000–2007 30 18 12 0 60.00 5 1
6 2007–2013 25 10 15 0 40.00 232 5
7 2008–2014 20 4 15 1 22.50 10 2
1996–1999 20 9 10 1 47.50 20 4
9 2018-2024 17 5 11 1 25.00 5 1
10 1967–1971 15 12 2 1 83.33 12 4

Last updated: New Zeland vs Argentina, 17 August 2024. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Player records (match)

Most points in a match

PlayerPosPtsTriesConvPensDropOppositionVenueDate
1. 50 6 13 0 0 São Paulo 14/10/1973
2. 45 9 0 0 0 27/04/2003
3. 40 8 0 0 0 São Paulo 02/10/1993
4. Martín Sansot36 3 6 4 0 13/07/1996
5. 32 0 16 0 0 Mendoza 01/05/2002
6. 31 3 5 3 0 São Paulo 16/10/1973
Eduardo de Forteza31 0 11 3 0 Asunción 25/09/1975
José Luna31 1 4 6 0 14/10/1995
31 2 3 5 0 26/06/2010
10. 4 players on 30 points

Last updated: Uruguay vs Argentina, 20 July 2024. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Most tries in a match

PlayerPosPtsTriesConvPensDropOppositionVenueDate
1. 45 9 0 0 0 27/04/2003
2. 40 8 0 0 0 São Paulo 02/10/1993
3. Uriel O'Farrell21 7 0 0 0 09/09/1951
4. Uriel O'Farrell18 6 0 0 0 13/09/1951
50 6 13 0 0 São Paulo 14/10/1973
24 6 0 0 0 08/10/1989
Facundo Barrea30 6 0 0 0 Santiago 23/05/2012
5 5 players on 5 tries

Last updated: Uruguay vs Argentina, 20 July 2024. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0500rugbyunion/0200news/tm_objectid=17254377%26method=full%26siteid=50082-name_page.html "Six Nations would be magnificent seven with us, pleads Pichot"
  2. Web site: Argentina is now part of Rugby Championship. Deges. Frankie. Buenos Aires Herald. 23 November 2011.
  3. Web site: Wallabies defeated 21–17 by Argentina. 4 October 2014. The Australian. 6 October 2014.
  4. http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/85398/argentina-is-now-part-of-rugby-championship Argentina is now part of Rugby Championship
  5. http://www.lanacion.com.ar/134355-la-pasion-cumple-cien-anos "La pasión cumple 100 años"
  6. https://www.espn.com.ar/rugby/nota/_/id/12962264/rugby-cuantas-veces-jugaron-los-pumas-y-los-british-and-irish-lions-argentina ¿Cuántas veces jugaron Los Pumas y los British & Irish Lions?
  7. http://www.cronista.com/contratapa/El-pase-del-verano-Los-Pumas-dejan-Adidas-para-vestirse-con-Nike-20111227-0036.html "El pase del verano: Los Pumas dejan Adidas para vestirse con Nike"
  8. http://prematch.com.ar/?x=nota/147815/1/nike-presenta-su-camiseta-de-los-pumas "Nike presenta su camiseta de Los Pumas"
  9. News: Puma power: Argentinian rugby . Davies . Sean . bbc.co.uk . 8 October 2007 . 26 July 2007.
  10. https://uar.com.ar/nuestra-nueva-identidad/ Nuestra nueva identidad
  11. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/el-regimiento-de-granaderos-caballo-cumple-207-anos El Regimiento de Granaderos a Caballo cumple 207 años
  12. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/los-pumas-jugaran-el-mundial-con-una-camiseta-en-homenaje-los-granaderos Los Pumas jugarán el Mundial con una camiseta en homenaje a los Granaderos
  13. https://7enpunto.com/los-pumas-usaran-una-camiseta-en-honor-a-los-granaderos/ Los Pumas usarán una camiseta en honor a los Granaderos
  14. Web site: ARGENTINA RUGBY JERSEYS - WORLD RUGBY MUSEUM . 2023-02-01 . www.rugbyrelics.com.
  15. https://hurlingclub.com.ar/rugby-en-hurling/ Rugby en Hurling
  16. https://www.periodismo-rugby.com.ar/2006/11/01/el-mes-de-los-pumas/ EL MES DE LOS PUMAS
  17. https://web.archive.org/web/20231203102213/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/deportes/rugby/los-pumas-cambian-de-piel-despues-de-12-anos-tendran-una-nueva-marca-de-indumentaria-ligada-a-una-de-nid25112023/ Los Pumas cambian de piel
  18. https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2024/02/01/la-union-argentina-de-rugby-presento-el-nuevo-sponsor-que-vestira-a-todos-sus-seleccionados/ Los Pumas tendrán un histórico cambio de camiseta luego de 12 años: la nueva marca que los vestirá
  19. https://www.cronista.com/deportes/la-uar-firmo-con-nike-20120210-0108.html La UAR firmó con Nike
  20. https://www.unosantafe.com.ar/los-pumas-dejan-adidas-vestir-nike-n2153119.html Los Pumas dejan Adidas
  21. https://www.lospumas.com.ar/sponsors/le-coq-sportif/ LeCoq Sportif Sponsor Oficial de la Unión Argentina de Rugby desde el año 2024
  22. https://www.ole.com.ar/rugby/nueva-camiseta-pumas-lecoq-sportif_0_eWfDXMahqV.html Mirá la nueva camiseta de Los Pumas
  23. http://www.periodismo-rugby.com.ar/2017/05/16/lions-5/ "Lions": Los viajes olvidados
  24. http://www.clarin.com/deportes/rugby/centenario-debut_0_279572222.html "El centenario del debut"
  25. http://stats.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/stats/index.html?class=1;ground=73;orderby=date;team=10;template=results;type=team;view=match "Argentina at ground: GEBA"
  26. http://www.rugbytime.com/noticia.php?id=12634 "El club de rugby más antiguo de la Argentina" at Rugbytime.com
  27. https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:fnkeOKsKMR0J:www.danielpallarola.com.ar/cedirh/Buenos_Aires_Cricket_Rugby.doc+&hl=es&gl=ar&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjVkekDmZ23Fcqs2Sq6aMkDHf1uMO7b1wSLZh2RI-HQILgZzsc1qoT7dH6hAraDr0PtcSQbTqKmR768pReoeY-kzuHJwwPlZkulEMrAyan0Hp-4BjqVS5XTtIv1u5V6S__uMeyO&sig=AHIEtbRW46C1WrQJsr3ovJOADh1MT4bPvw "Buenos Aires Cricket & Rugby Club" at Centro de Documentación, Investigación y Referencia Histórica-Deportiva
  28. http://edant.clarin.com/diario/2005/12/04/deportes/d-08510.htm "Adiós a un escenario de triunfos históricos"
  29. https://uar.com.ar/wp-content/themes/wpbootstrap/pdf/1970/1970.pdf Memoria y Balance 1970
  30. http://canchallena.lanacion.com.ar/1817488-el-historial-de-los-pumas-contra-los-grandes-los-all-blacks-el-unico-al-que-no-le-pudieron-ganar "El historial de los Pumas contra los grandes: los All Blacks, el único al que no le pudieron ganar"
  31. http://www.infobae.com/2015/10/18/1763176-el-historial-los-pumas-australia-la-tercera-potencia "El historial de Los Pumas ante Australia, la tercera potencia"
  32. https://super.rugby/therugbychampionship/news/springboks-thrash-argentina-to-clinch-rugby-championship-crown/ SPRINGBOKS THRASH ARGENTINA TO CLINCH RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP CROWN
  33. Web site: ARGENTINA TESTS ANNOUNCED - JUNE 2018. 30 January 2018. 1 February 2018.
  34. Ranking archives can be found at the IRB website; www.irb.com
  35. Web site: July Tests 2024: Uruguay vs Argentina – ARN Guide . americas rugby news . 23 July 2024.
  36. https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2024/07/31/rookies-and-returnees-on-argentina-rugby-championship-2024-roster/ Rookies and Returnees on Argentina Rugby Championship 2024 Roster
  37. News: Hall of Fame – World Rugby . . 30 December 2023.
  38. News: Awards Roll of Honour - World Rugby . . 16 March 2024 . en.
  39. UAR. Entrenadores de Los Pumas de todos los Tiempos
  40. http://en.espn.co.uk/argentina/rugby/player/141088.html Player profile